USMNT fans hope team can follow Knicks’ footsteps and overcome being World Cup long shots

IRVINE, California – The Knicks have stunned the sports world, on the brink of an upset championship.

New Yorker and diehard Knicks fan Tyler Adams says he’s drawing inspiration from his hometown team – and his U.S. National Team could follow in their footsteps as a World Cup underdog.

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“That’s what I love about being from New York is the character, the personality,” Adams said when asked by the Post about the Knicks. “So as a kid from New York – obviously not the city, but just in general – I feel like you always have your back up against the wall. That’s just about proving people wrong.”

United States Men’s National Team’s Christian Pulisic (10) reacts during an international friendly match against Germany in Chicago, Illinois, United States, on June 6, 2026. Anadolu via Getty Images

The Knicks were a longshot, with no NBA champion in the last 40 years holding longer title odds at the start of the playoffs.

Team USA will be World Cup longshots themselves when they kick off Friday against Paraguay at So-Fi Stadium. Asked if they can follow the Knicks’ blueprint, Adams said “I don’t know; hopefully. Hopefully we can do something special.”

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What the Knicks did went beyond special, to unprecedented. They pulled off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, overturning a 29-point deficit to win Game 4 at the Garden on Wednesday night.

Members of the U.S. National Team watched the game on TV, and in a video of them celebrating after OG Anunoby’s miraculous tipin, Adams – who is from Wappinger and came up through the New York Red Bulls organization – can be seen clambering on top of a couch multiple times in barely-recalled euphoria.

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) is greeted by New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) after he tips in the ball with seconds left for the game winning shot during the fourth quarter. Jason Szenes for the New York Post

“I don’t even remember I blacked out, I’m not gonna lie,” said Adams.

“I’m not gonna lie; after the first first half I turned it off, because I was like ‘maybe it’s me that’s watching…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/usmnt-fans-hope-team-knicks-012517457.html

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Publish date : 2026-06-12 01:25:00

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